Like Father Like Daughter
by DarylWhoWinchester7
Summary: Discord may be The Lord of chaos, but besides Chaos, there's one thing he cares about; his beloved daughter, Screwball. And he'll go through any means necessary to keep her safe. From changelings to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia themselves. Rated T for slight violence and mild swearing. Takes place before Discord got turned into stone.
1. The Task

**I don't own My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic or any of the characters except for the one OC**

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**Screwball**

_This time I'll get it right_, she thought, _this time_.

Screwball already knew her role in life, what her destiny was. Between her curly, untamable white and purple hair, the white swirls around her irises, and he fact that her Father was the master of chaos; Discord, Screwball knew that she was meant for chaotic, disorienting things.

When she went to her father with this realization, he gave the little filly one trial to prove that she could handle the position of being his second in command; make one chocolate rain cloud.

"If you can handle that, then I'll gladly teach you everything I know-"

"Okay!" She said happily, hugged her father, and left their castle to go do the simple task.

Or so it seemed in the beginning. She was given the task early in the morning... or late at night. It was hard to tell. But she went at the challenge the entire day, but the work went to no avail. She could make cartons of milk, or regular storm clouds, but she could not make the Cotten Candy filled chocolate milk rain clouds that her father could make with ease. Every time screwball did use her powers, they never worked the way she wanted them too.

"This would be simpler if I was a unicorn" she mumbled angrily to herself, slowly surveying the mess she made. The task she was given would have be proven easier if she was born a unicorn. But she was an earth pony with chaotic powers, so she had a harder time controlling them than most fillies her age.

"True, but that wouldn't make you unique, Screwball." Said a mares voice behind the young pony.

"What are you doing here Shadow Bandit?" She huffed in exasperation, not bothering to look behind her. The mare just smiled and sat down, smirking while looking at the pile of poorly made storm clouds.

Shadow Bandit was a burnt orange-brown color, and had a long black mane, her cutie mark was her mask, an all black mask with sequins on it, which she wore all the time. As much as the black leather vest with the sued wings on the back, and the black pirate hat with the gold brim that was always donned on her head. Though She was just a typical run-off-the-mill unicorn, she was well known for her control over the shadows. Either bending them to her will, or using them to get around Equestria. As well as being a renown Kleptomaniac that tried stealing something out of Screwball and Discord's castle, but after that was settled, and she proved to be an ally to Discord, was made his advisor, so she stuck around, planning with the master of disaster and foal sitting Screwball.

"Your father wanted me to check up on you. Make sure you don't hurt yourself too bad." Shadow Bandit said lightly.

"I don't need to be 'checked up on' I'm doing fine on my own."

"You sure about that?" The older mare asked while looking around at the pathetic remnants of the storm clouds and the spilled milk cartons Screwball tried to conjure.

"Then help me!" Screwball yelled.

"That's not what you were told to do, now is it?" she asked rhetorically, "your father told you to make a chocolate rain storm cloud, not me."

"I'm not asking you to make it for me. I'm just asking you to help me get started." She explained.

"Well... Let's see what you can do so far." Shadow said, backing up, then sat down.

"Okay." Then she tried her best to make a storm cloud. She focused, thinking about the small puff ball of Cotten candy. She kept focusing until her head hurt. A small blue-green ball of energy was forming where Screwball was focusing, slowly growing. Shadow slowly backed up when the energy spark started to grow. She's seen Discord make those clouds a thousand times over, and never once has there ever been a ball of energy like that before.

Thought when the spark grew to the size of a basketball, the small filly started to loose control of it. It started to rickashay and spaz, slowly becoming out of control. Before Screwball could loose control of it completely, Shadow used her magic to put a dark grey magical dome around the energy before it imploded, and used her control over the shadows to transport her and Screwball to a safe distance.

The energy then exploded. Dirt, grass, and milk flew all over the place, including on Shadow and Screwball. Shadow Bandit commanded her shadow to turn into wings (it was harder to do in the daylight, but it _was _doable) flew over to the sight. Everything, including the ground, was destroyed. Screwball trotted over to the sight and grimaced at the mess she made. Sure, destruction was one of the main things her dad expected of her, but she didn't like destroying things that she didn't mean to destroy.

"That's never happened before, right?" Shadow Bandit asked, slowly surveying the mess.

"Once before." Screwball admitted miserably. That happened the first time she tried to make a storm cloud, though that time was much worse than this time.

"Okay... Maybe you do need _some_ type of help."

"You'll teach me?!" Screwball asked excitedly, smiling an innocent smile.

"I'll talk to your father and see what he thinks, but NO promises." Shadow said, sounding defeated.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" Screwball yelled in delight. She then started to jump around the elder unicorn, cheering.

"Don't get excited yet, and don't think I going to show you everything. I expect you to do it on your own." Shadow Bandit explained. "Now at least try to help me clean this mess. Discord might like chaos, but I'm halfway certain he doesn't like a big mess everywhere."

Neither Shadow Bandit or Screwball did know the full answer to that, and neither did they notice Discord lingering in the background, surveying his beloved daughter try to do what he does best.

**Discord**

Discord was already iffy about the idea of letting Screwball help him with the chaotic reign he was in charge of. Discord's job was dangerous enough, he saw that much, and he already had Shadow Bandit to look after considering she never thought things through and was reckless. The last thing he wanted was for his only daughter to get hurt.

Screwball was the only light in his life that wasn't chaotic, well... Fully. At first, he thought the idea of Screwball working beside him was a brilliant idea. But as he watched her grow the first three years of her life, he saw how unstable

her powers were. But he did need a lieutenant. So when Shadow Bandit trying to rob them blind, using her power over shadows to get her there on the first place, was in some sense, a blessing.

Not to mention that she was one of the only few alicorns in existence, she made his reign even more powerful. But he could see his young filly grow restless with not helping him. She was strong enough, but considering she was born an Earth pony, and not a unicorn like she was originally was intended to be, her powers where more unstable than most.

So when Screwball came to her father with her request of wanting to help him, he didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell her no, that she wasn't ready yet, but he couldn't bring himself to it. So he thought he could give her a small task.

"Make one storm cloud." Discord had said.

"What?" Screwball asked, her hypnotizing eyes read confusion.

"If you can do that then I'll gladly teach you everything I know-" he said. _to an extent_ he was going to say, but he was cut off by his daughters squeal of delight.

"Okay! Thank you! You won't regret this! I'll make you proud!" She said excitedly. She then hugged him and then ran out the door.

"She can at least handle that." Discord said to himself out loud.

"You sure about that?" A mares voice said behind him.

"It's one cloud. What's the worse that could possibly happen?" He said turning toward the shadow bending pony. Assuring both his lieutenant and himself.

"She blows up the castle and kills us all." Shadow Bandit said frankly. "Don't you think you should have at least waited until she got her cutie mark to decide whether or not she helps us."

"It's just a test to see if she's capable of handling the responsibility." As he said that, however, there was a loud explosion in the horizon. Shadow and Discord both looked at each other, both thinking the same thing; _Screwball_.

"Maybe you should check up on her in a little while." Discord decided.

"Will do."

Even after that, and secretly checking up on Screwballs progress, he still had his worries. He did his best to keep her from getting hurt. He made sure she never left the perimeter of the castle, one of the first things he had Shadow do when she agreed to go under his command was to foal-sit Screwball, and whenever he could, he constantly kept an eye on her.

Later on that day both Shadow Bandit and Screwball came back into the manner. Both covered in dirt and grass. Both ponies looked exhausted. Though Screwball looked both ashamed and irritated as well.

"What happened to you two?" Discord asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Chaos." Shadow said lightly. Screwball on the other hoof, didn't bother answering her doting father. She ran up to her room, slamming the door behind her. Discord then looked at his lieutenant with a worried expression.

"She couldn't make a cloud," Shadow Bandit explained. "and she didn't want to leave."

"Oh."

"Sure as hell has your determination I'll give her that," His second in command said while getting a glass of water. "But she can't control her magic right. Everything literally blows up in her face."

"What do you want me to do about it? She needs to learn this on her own." Discord explained.

"I understand that. But with all do respect, you can't just expect her to get it on the first try. The least you could do is help her, Or at least let me do it." And with that, Shadow Bandit left to go upstairs. Either to go find Screwball, or to her room to go to sleep.

A little later, Discord went to find his daughter. He found her in her room. She was laying on her side on the small bed. Her eyes were closed, but her face read annoyance and exasperation, as well as disappointment and shame.

"What in Equestria am I going to do with you?" He mumbled softly, testing whether or his daughter was asleep. She did not stir, so he confirmed that Screwball was asleep. Discord then teleported himself right next to his beloved daughter, carefully stroking her wild, untamable hair. After maybe an hour of laying there, discord then teleported himself back to the foyer.

**Shadow Bandit**

At first Shadow Bandits plan was to go to sleep, but as she walked by Screwballs room, her plans changed. She saw the small spawn of chaos trying, once again, trying to make a storm cloud. But to no avail, she made a chocolate milk carton, and it exploded in her face.

"What's the point of having these powers when I can't even use them right?!" Screwball screamed angrily. She then screamed into her pillow, and collapsed on her bed.

"Don't get so worked up, kid" Shadow Bandit said as she walked into the little fillys room. "You'll get it right eventually.

"Don't patronize me!"

"Whoa! Here I am trying to help you, and here you are screaming at me." The unicorn said while sitting on the floor. "No wonder you don't have any friends."

"I have friends!" Screwball yelled defensively. Looking at the mare with annoyance.

"Me and your dad don't count, Screwy."

"Are you here for something?"

"Just here for moral support. Better than bumming around here I guess." Shadow said while jumping on Screwballs bed.

"Well your not helping." After that neither of the two ponies said a word for a minute or two.

"I think your dad agreed with me helping you though." Shadow said with a smile. "So that's something."

"What's the point? Everything I try to do I just screw up!" Screwball said in a defeated tone. "My daddy's disappointed in me enough, I really don't want to add on to it."

"Stop talking like that. Your fathers extremely proud of you." Shadow said putting her hoof on Screwballs shoulder, "don't ever think other wise."

"Sure." Screwball said indifferently.

"We'll start training you tomorrow." And with that, Shadow got up and took her leave.

There wasn't any doubt in the reformed thief's mind that Discord loved his daughter. Aside from chaos, she was the one thing he truly cared about. Shadow herself thought it was sweet. But she also thought it was crippling, if anyone got their hooves on Screwball, they would have Discord at their disposal. Though as time went on watching the chaotic family, she saw that Screwball was more than capable of taking care of herself. But even though Screwball was powerful, the power she had gotten from her dad wasn't the most... Stable, to say the least.

But never the less, Shadow considered that there wasn't anything Discord couldn't handle with his little girl, considering he watches her like a haw. though Shadow did know that one of these days, with Screwballs reckless behavior, she would end up getting hurt.

Shadow shouldn't have jinxed their luck.

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**_If Discord seems a little OOC to some of you, sorry about that. I don't exactly no what angle to from for him and screwball... Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually._**

**_leave a review if you liked the story, didn't like the story, or if you have suggestions for said story._**

**_this is the fist MLP fanfic I've ever written, so go lightly with the constructive criticism, and the second fan Fic I've ever written. So again tread lightly if you will._**

**_Thanks for reading. =)_**

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**new revised version of the first chapter. It mostly had to do with Delusional Potato's comment.**

**for those of you who read the first version, I can kinda see how making my OC an Alicorn was a little cheap, and I'm not certain how most will like the whole "Shadow Wings" concept, but it does go with Shadows abilities, and a good deal of the story kinda hovers around the possibility of Shadow being able to fly.**

**the second thing, I don't know if it was just Delusional Potato, or many of you agree that right now Shadow seems kinda useless, but come on, it's the first chapter. I'm still setting the story and Shadow Bandit's worth will show in the next chapter or so.**

**as for the spelling and grammar stuff, I'll do my best. But I got a C in grammar, so not much hope there...**

**thanks again for reading =)**


	2. An Incompetent Foal-Sitter

**Shadow Bandit**

Stay quiet Shadow, Shadow Bandit thought to herself as she crept into the castle, one wrong move, it'll be your head.

Shadow had stolen a number of things. Between artifacts from the Crystal Empire to Star Swirl the Bearded's spell books. But that night she was about to pull one of the greatest, and most dangerous heist that any thief would dream up. Shadow Bandit was about to rob the palace of The Lord of chaos himself, Discord.

There's nothing to worry about, she thought, If I'm good enough to be given the opportunity to be an Alicorn, I'm good enough to do this!

Shadow Bandit was given the offer of being an Alicorn when King Sombra recognized her for her power over shadows when she was just a filly. With his immense power, he ordained her as princess of the Crystal Empire. Sombra originally thought that Shadow bandit would help him keep control over the Crystal Ponies, and maybe the entire world, training her to use the magic he could so he could take over all of Equestria. But instead she stole the onyx and black diamond mask that she wears all the time, which gives her more power and helps keep her powers under control, and a few of his magic books on Shadow Bending and got far away from the Crystal Empire as possible.

Though that time was now considered an old ponies tale, she remembered every day at the Crystal Empire like it was yesterday as well as when she ran away, but it seemed like a dream. She remembered the first things she stole outside the Crystal Empire, the pirate hat with the gold trim and a black vest with gold buttons and sued wings on the back. The vest was necessary; the first magic she succeeded in doing was making her shadow work to her advantage. Be it spiking out at monsters or ponies she mugged. But the main thing she learned was to make her shadow turn into a set of all black wings. So the all black vest helped induce the power of the wings. The mask was not just memorabilia to the Crystal Empire, she had a slightly faded scare going down her left eye. If not for the mask, she would have stuck out like a sore hoof. This choice was smart on her part, because King Sombra later sent out missionaries and bounty hunters to find her, with the definition "a young dark Unicorn with a scar on her eye". The hat wasn't needed, but she figured it would help hide her better.

She still wore the mask, even after the Crystal Empire fell. And she never the shadow wings spell unless she had to.

Later she wished that she would have stayed a little longer than she did, her coronation was the day after she ran. And she failed to know that King Sombra put a curse on the mask, whoever wore it was doomed to bear the curse of Immortality, even if the wearer took the mask off.

Shadow used her magic to create a set of beautiful, all black wings, crafted carefully from both her shadow, and the looming shadows of the night setting. She then flew around the perimeter of the castle, carefully shrouded in the shadows of the night. She saw one window open, and decided to use that entrance. Shadow saw that it was a bedroom. Still cover by the shadows, she kept moving and opened the door quietly. The mare looked over to see who's bedroom it was and almost screamed.

Out of all the rooms I break into, it had to be HIS room! Shadow Bandit thought ruefully as she saw the sleeping figure of The Lord of Chaos. So she carefully kept flying, still keeping her eye on the sleeping figure as she left the master bedroom. As soon as Shadow left, she quickly, and quietly, flew to the downstairs corridor near the main entrance. When she saw that she was long out of ear shot of the sleeping ruler, she let out a shaky, terrified sounding sigh, then started hyperventilating in fear for a moment or two.

"That went better than I expected!" Shadow said out loud while lifting a gold crown from the table into her all black saddle bag. "Fortune forbid if I actually woke up that sleeping chimera... Or draconequus... Whatever he is!"

And with that, Shadow went on stealing objects that looked like they were worth value. She made sure that she didn't make any noise that would wake Discord. She grabbed what could fit in the saddle back that she had brought and nothing more, it was risky enough going in there at all. But it was easier than she had expected. There were no guards, no guard dogs, no booby traps, no nothing. And Shadow knew enough to know that the creature wasn't married.

"Hate to meet the pony who would marry that abomination..." Shadow said to herself lowly, then stopped dead in her tracks when she turned around, and the lights suddenly turned on, "Or the pony who bears him a filly."

Shadow turned around to be face to face to a small filly who looked no older then three. She had swirly, hypnotizing white and light purple eyes, wild purple and white hair, and a pink coat.

"Who are you?" The filly asked in a sweet sounding voice.

"Ummmm..." Shadow stuttered, the one time she didn't have an answer up her sleeve. The filly then looked at her saddle bag,slightly overflowing with some of the houses possessions.

"Are you stealing from us!?" She asked slowly backing up.

"No?" Shadow answered shakily.

"Daddy!" The mare then yelled.

"Shut up kid!" Shadow yelled back, freaking out over the idea of Discord waking up.

"Da-" the pony was about to yell again before Shadow Bandit tied her up in her own shadow.

"Oh hell! I gotta get out of here!" Shadow yelled to herself in fear. As she turned to run to the door she ran face first into something. Please be the wall. Please be the wall. PLEASE BE THE WALL! Shadow thought to herself. Though she didn't know that the fillys father woke up immediately when his daughter cried for help, so when she backed away and looked up she saw The Lord of Disarray himself, Discord. The unicorn then let out a blood curdling scream.

"And what is it do you think you're doing in my palace?" Discord asked with his arms crossed. He talked in a calm manner, but there was a twinge of annoyance in his voice.

"Nothing?" Shadow said uneasily. Discord looked over Shadow and saw the filly that ratted Shadow out in the first place tied up and gagged with her shadow. His eyes opened wide when he saw her, then looked at Shadow with simmering hate and revenge in his eyes. But while he was processing that Shadow quickly tried to find ways to escape, there where no chairs, sofas, bookcases or anything she could get to, tip over, and use the shadow to escape with, for some reason Discord didn't have a shadow, like he knew what she was capable of, and the only thing the Unicorn couldn't do was escape with her shadow, there was a limit to what she could do. Right when she was accepting her fate, she looked up and saw a gigantic crystal chandelier hanging right above them. With that a plan formulated in her mind.

"What did you do?!" Discord yelled, he then teleported over to the small pony and knelt next to her.

"You should teach her not to be a blabber mouth, then!" Shadow yelled back quickly. She them shot a beam of energy up at the chandelier, and as it was falling, she then used that opportunity to use the shadow as her escape. She then transported herself from that point, to directly outside the castle. Shadow then did the only sensible thing; She ran.

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Shadow woke up when the sunlight hit her face. She then immediately opened her eyes.

"Why did I just dream about that?" Shadow asked herself out loud. Thinking back on that escapade now kinda made her feel like an idiot. If there was one thing Shadow was good at, it was talking her way out of a bad situation. But, she's a heat-of-the-moment type of pony, which sometimes made life a bit more difficult than it ought to be.

She then got out of bed and stretched, then shadow traveled into Screwballs room. She used her artificial wings to stay of the ground when she landed. When she saw that the spawn of Discord was still sound asleep, she quickly left. She then went to Discords room to see if he was up, which he wasn't. Then she transported into a lawn chair on the outside patio and started looking at the sky.

"Why am I always the first one awake?" Shadow asked herself ruefully. She remembered when she first arrived at the castle. When she and Screwball started to get along, Screwball was always the first one up, and hen woke her up. Though that was a year and a half ago. Nowadays it usually alternated between the small family, sometimes Discord and sometimes Screwball. But most of the time it was Discord who woke up after Shadow did.

"You're more sensitive to light than me or daddy." A small voice said behind her.

"Still, it gets annoying." Shadow said, turning towards the small earth pony, who was rubbing her eye with her hoof.

"Is daddy up yet?" Screwball asked, stifling a yawn.

"Not yet, but he will be soon." She answered. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, shaking her head until she looked like she was well rested.

"You seemed to be pretty worked up yesterday." Shadow stood up to face the little filly. "Just making sure you're heads on strait. Considering the way you were talking yesterday. Where on earth did you get to thinking like that?"

"It's nothing, really." Screwball said, a forced smile was on her face.

"Screwy, do you really think you could lie to me, of all ponies?"

"Don't you always say 'it never hurts to try'?"

"Using my philosophy against me," Shadow said with a fake hurt expression, "that's cold Screwball, just cold."

The little filly smiled and giggled. The sound of her laugh brought a smile to Shadows face.

"I just feel like sometimes Daddy regrets having me..." Screwball said sorrowfully.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well... Like yesterday." Screwball be gain to explain, "Daddy can make thousands of Cotten Candy, chocolate milk storm clouds without really thinking about it. You can do the same thing, as well as make shadows do whatever you want them to do. You can even make wings for yourself and fly! All I can do is try to make things and have them blow up!"

"Kid, I had the same problem when I was your age. Though I'm a unicorn, not an earth pony, so it was a little easier for me to keep control over my powers." Shadow explained. Doing her best to try to comfort the little pony.

"You did?" Screwball asked

"Yes! But it took me longer to fully control because when I was your age I was given even more control over shadows. So it was twice as hard for me to keep my powers under control." Shadow said, recalling her hard childhood as King Sombras apprentice, "but do you want to know the difference between you and me?"

"What?"

"I didn't have a totally awesome foal sitter to help me." Shadow said with a smile. "Or a completely loving father either. You dad loves you, he sometimes has a hard time showing it."

"You really think so?" Screwball asked meekly.

"I know so." Shadow answered. After that, Screwball hugged her foal-sitter and then went inside the big castle. Shadow was certain Discord loved Screwball, sure he might have been emotionally constipated, but he did love his daughter, and he would go through any means necessary to protect his little girl.

After all, Discord did almost kill the young mare for tying Screwball up with her own shadow.

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Shadow always told herself she was not a quitter, that she never backed away from a challenge, though this challenge was worth quitting. The unicorn continued to run until her lungs were on fire. She then stopped for a minute to catch her breath.

"Why don't I ever listen to people?! 'Don't steal from The Lord of Chaos' they said. 'Its the worst idea in the world' they said!" She chastised herself. Shadow Bandit then looked around the area she was in, making sure she was alone.

"Just breath Shadow, just breathe." She was still shaking from the running, she then took off her hat and shook her hair all over the place. Just as she was about to think she was alone and far away from the castle, she felt a drop fall onto her snout.

"It's not suppose to rain tonight" Shadow said, looking up at the sky. "Or at all this week." Another drop landed on her nose, this time she licked the rain drop that was falling down her face.

"Is that... Chocolate milk?" She asked in surprise, "what the..."

Just then she was looking at a Cotten Candy cloud, as soon as she looked at it, a clap of thunder came from it. It then started to pour Chocolate milk all over the rouge pony. It took Shadow Bandit a few minutes before she put two and two together before she recognize the discordant weather.

"Not the worse your going to go through, my dear." A males voice said behind the mare. Once again, Shadow gave out a blood curdling scream. Suddenly something grabbed her tail and held her upside down, shadow was then face-to-face with Discord.

"Now stealing from my castle is one thing, I condone your bravery with that, but tying up my daughter?" He then glared at her with his claws looking sharper that they did at first, "that I cannot forgive."

"Daughter?" Shadow asked. More to herself then the draconequus.

"Why is that surprising?" Discord asked in a slightly dangerous tone.

"No reason." She was about to say well you're not exactly easy on the eyes, but she managed to keep her trap shut. The unicorn then looked down focusing on the darkness that surrounded her capture's feet. Trying to figure out how she could escape.

"Who are you exactly? I'm familiar to every pony in Equestria, but you," he started while walking around Shadow, she was still hanging in the sky. "You I've never seen before."

"I'm no pony special." She said quickly. Discord then put his paw on her forehead, she then started to see scenes from her past play out in front of her. From the day she was born, to her life in the Crystal Empire, to going under King Sombra's wing, to escaping her first home, to her immortal life afterwards, to sneaking into Discords castle, then finally to the moment when Discord caught her.

"An immortal pony who is not an Alicorn." He exclaimed while dropping the thieving mare to the ground. "That's interesting."

"It's not that interesting." Shadow mumbled.

"But the way you use shadows to your advantage," Discord then got face to face with Shadow, "that is."

"So are you gonna kill me or what? What are we doing?" Shadow asked, now getting impatient and bored.

"I could do that, though I do need an advisor..." He then trailed off in a persuasive tone.

"Cause if you are, could you do it in a way that's not pai- wait... Run that by me again?"

"Look, I'm going to give this to you straight, I need some pony to help me out running Equestria, and some one to keep an eye on my daughter." He explained.

"Okay... Let me wrap my head around this... You want me around as an advisor and a foal sitter? Even after I bound and gagged you beloved kid and tried to rob you?"

"Precisely." He answered.

"Umm... Okay... But why?" Shadow asked, still skeptical about his offer.

"Are we going to keep going around in circles or are you going to choose?"

"What happens if I refuse?" Shadow then asked, while mulling over the idea of agreeing.

"What do you think will happen?"

The offer was tempting, but Shadow did swear to herself that she wouldn't go with people like King Sombra after what she went through. But then again he would supply her with a home, food, and power. But she still had her integrity to think about, and there was the fact she could never keep a goldfish alive longer than a year, so she doubted her abilities as a foal-sitter. Yes, the idea was like a tennis match going through her brain. She then finally decided, a devious grin forming on her face.

"When do I start?"

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**_Not much I can say about this chapter_**

**_just favorite/follow/ and review. More to come!_**


	3. An encounter with a new monster

_**I don't own MLP or Any characters except for my OC**_

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**Discord **

"Have you seen Screwball?" Discord asked Shadow, who was sitting on the ground on the front courtyard, reading a book.

"Haven't seen her since this morning." Shadow answered, not taking her eyes off her book.

"Isn't it your job to keep an eye on her?" He asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Discord, how long have you known me?"

"A year and a half."

"Then you should know by now I'm incompetent." Shadow said indifferently, still not looking away from her book.

"Don't you think you should go look for her?" Discord asked, crossing his arms, now starting to get annoyed.

"I could." Shadow said, then she looked at her boss, who looked very annoyed, "...or I should go do that right now." Shadow then got up, summoned a pair of wings, and went looking for Screwball.

As she left, Discord just rolled his eyes with discontent. "I'm starting to think that one is more trouble than she's worth." He then teleported back to the house.

"You love me and know it!" Discord heard the mare yell over her shoulder, but He just rolled his eyes again.

Even though Discord has his compleat trust in Shadow Bandit, he still didn't think that she was fully competent or responsible enough to take care of his daughter. He watches them constantly, even more now than he did when it was just him and his little girl.

Discord then walked to his room and as soon as he got in uncovered a beautiful mirror. The mirror was as tall as he was, the frame was gold, and embedded with a variety of jewels, but the top had a ruby the size of an apple, and was surrounded with diamonds. Discord then shot a beam of his magic at the large jewel. The glass then rippled like it was water and turned to a shade of dark cerulean.

"Where are you my girl?" Discord said to himself.

Screwball

"Come on!" Screwball yelled in anger, once again failing at creating a storm cloud. She then summoned a regular storm cloud and struck a tree with lightning. When the bolt hit the tree, the little filly jumped, not realizing what she was doing.

"Why do I even try?"

"You'll get it eventually, kiddo." A voice said behind her. Screwball turned around and saw Shadow Bandit, but there was something different about her. For starters, she wasn't wearing her mask, the first time she wasn't wearing it since Screwball knew her, and she didn't see that sparkle in her eyes like she could usually see. Though there was something else, something faint that she couldn't put her finger on.

"How did you find me?" Screwball asked, slowly backing up.

"When can I not find you?" She said.

"Ok, let me rephrase the question... Why are you here?" She asked.

Foal sure can speak well the other mare thought. "What? I can't on my favorite little filly?"

"You never usually do unless daddy tells you to." Screwball pointed out, her suspicion growing more and more.

"Well, I got bored at home." Shadow said. But the more she talked, the more suspicious Screwball became. She never called their home, "home", she always called it "the house" or something like like that. Screwball then saw a flash of something, it appeared around Shadow Bandit then disappeared just as quick as it showed up.

"Ok..." As she said that, Screwball then focused her attention to the unicorn in front of her until she could hear nothing but her and shadows heart beat. Everything went grey but there was a mist around her, she couldn't see what color it was yet. It was a small technique that Shadow had taught her when she first attempted to use magic, it was something like seeing their aura, their essence. After a moment the mist around her turned into a sickly green color.

Which then proved that that wasn't Shadow. Her essence was sparkly dark violet, not green.

"You ok kid?" The imposter asked.

"I-I-I'm... Yeah, I'm fine!" Screwball stuttered. She then looked above the Shadow look-alike and tried to conjure up a regular storm cloud. Please work. She pleaded to herself.

"What are you looking at?" 'Shadow' asked, then look up, "what the buck-" she was stopped short when a Cotten Candy storm cloud erupted and showered the mare with chocolate milk. When that happened, the dopple-ganger's image shifted slightly.

Then in a blink of an eye, the young filly summoned a baseball bat and just when the 'unicorn' looked back at her, was hit in the snout and thrown into a tree. The shock was enough to change the mare completely into something Screwball had never laid eyes on before.

It looked like a hybrid between a pony and a beetle. It was all black with all green eyes. It's legs looked like they where eaten through like a leaf, by some type of bug, and it's wings resembled those of a cicada.

"Oh, you little BRAT!" It said while standing up, "when I'm done with you-"

Before it could finish its sentence, the bug-pony hybrid's legs were rapped up by its shadow, it was then hung upside down and raised high enough to be face to face with Screwballs real foal sitter. She could tell it was her, she actually had her mask, and she could see the sparkle in her black-diamond eyes.

"You're going to do what now?"

**Shadow Bandit**

"Out of everywhere she could be, it had to be the woods." Shadow said ruefully to herself. She non-gracefully crash landed into the ground, considering it was the middle of the day, and she almost never flies during the day.

"Graceful, Shadow, just graceful." The mare chastised herself. She the closed her eyes, trying to sense Screwballs aura. It was easy to pick up considering hers was luminescent purple with red and white strips. She found it dead center in the middle of the forest, but there was also some pony else there too.

That can't be good. Shadow thought to herself then ran toward the middle of the forest.

When she got there she was looking at Screwball summoning something over somepony's head. She teleported to a place where she could see better, she almost gasped out loud when she saw a pony that looked just like her. Except for the lack of a mask, the other mare looked exactly like her. Same mane color, her cat was the same, same eyes, same damn Cutie Mark, But the aura was different. It was a sickly green color, she's seen it before, but she couldn't place it.

Then after Screwball hit Shadows lookalike it changed. Then the green aura made sense after that.

It was a then took over as she hung the love feeding monster upside down.

"You're going to do what now?" She asked with her eyebrow raised.

"Uhh..." It stammered.

"Screwball, you okay?" Shadow asked over her shoulder.

"Yeah... I'm fine." She answered, sounding a bit frighten.

"Ok... I can explain-" the changeling started to say, but was cut off when another shadow coiled around his mouth.

"No more talking." Shadow said. Then her shadow rapped around the changelings body like a cocoon, Shadow Bandits eyes then turned black remnants of ghostly shadow pouring out of her eyes as the cocoon was squeezed into oblivion.

**Screwball**

Screwball watched in silent fear while Shadow closed her eyes and shook her head, probably to regain her composure. When she opened them again and turned around, they were the same onyx black that they usually were, but Shadow glared at the young filly.

"What were you thinking?!" Shadow yelled.

"I almost get attacked by a monster and you're yelling at me?!" Screwball yelled in disbelief.

"What is the ONE thing both me and your father have told you about being on your own?" Shadow asked, now standing in front of the small filly.

"If I meet somepony who I don't know, run away." Screwball repeated, which she has repeated ever since her father permitted her to leave the premises of the house. "But I was handling it!"

"Do you know what that thing could have done to you if I didn't show up?!" Shadow screamed, causing Screwball to flinch, then to back up in fear. After Shadow saw the fear in Screwball hypnotic eyes, she took a deep breath, trying to control her anger. She then just sat down and used Screwballs shadow to bring the little filly close to her.

"Look, I'm not angry at you, kid. But you need to be more careful." She said.

"I was handling myself fine on my own." Screwball retorted.

"... I'm not getting into this argument with you." Shadow said tiredly. "Question is, how I'm going to tell your father that you had a run in with a Changeling, jeez he is going to flip his-"

"You can't tell him!" Screwball cried.

"He has a right to know what happened." Shadow explained.

"If daddy finds out about this he'll never let me leave the house again!" She pleaded.

"I'll think about it." Shadow said, sounding defeated.

"What'd you say that thing was anyway? A... Changeling or whatever?" Screwball asked after a minute or two.

"Changeling, yeah."

"What's that?"

"Changelings are a type of monster. They take the shape of those you care about and feed off the love you give off when your with that pony." Shadow Bandit explained.

"Oh."

"We should probably get going." Shadow said as she watched the sun go down to the horizon.

"Okay." Screwball said while yawning. Shadow saw how tired she was and rolled her eyes.

"Get on." Shadow said as she sat down in front of her.

"Huh?" The Princess of Chaos asked.

"Come on, voluntary piggy back ride."

Screwball was too tired to care or even ask at that point. She just got on the unicorns back and steered clear of the two black artificial wings appeared out from under her.

##############################################################

Screwball stayed asleep until she heard her father shouting. Curious, she teleported to the living room where the argument was taking place and saw her father arguing with Shadow Bandit. She hid behind the couch to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"... Could have been killed because of your negligence!" Discord yelled.

"She's still alive isn't she?!" Shadow retorted.

"Why do I even trust you with this job?"

"She handled herself just fine! You're just blowing this out of proportion!"

Screwball felt a knot forming in her stomach. Shadow and her dad didn't argue that often, but when they did, they just screamed at each other so much that each of their powers create something that most likely destroy a good part of Equestria. Last time the two of them conjured a dragon that completely destroyed Maretonia.

"I have told you time and time again to NEVER leave her alone in that forest!" Discord shouted.

"Well considering you watch her with that dumb mirror, you could have stopped her or that Changeling!"

"What are you getting at?!" Discord demanded, his voice dangerously calm and angry.

"That attack was just your fault too!" Shadow shouted back. After she said that, Discord shot a lightning bolt at the chair that was right next to Shadow. When the chair exploded Screwball jumped, but Shadow didn't so much as flinch.

"You have the NERVE to blame your irresponsibility on me?!" Discord yelled, when he did fire appeared spontaneously on the floor. It didn't hit shadow at all, but it did set Screwball's tail on fire, but she put it out with no problem.

"I don't have to take this." Shadow said as she put out the fire. She then teleported out of the room. After she did Discord turned the couch Screwball into bubbles, and before they all popped, Screwball teleported back to her room. She her father came into her room she feigned sleep in order to avoid anymore conflict. But she heard a low gasp when Discord was petting her tail and felt the burn spot at the end.

* * *

_**I know it took a LONG time to update this, I know I'm terrible at keeping up with things. So I hope this chapter was worth the wait.**_

_**you should know the drill follows and favorites are welcome as much as constructive criticism.**_

_**thanks for your time, and more to come! =)**_


	4. Like An Old Married Couple

**Discord**

"... I mean I thought MY dad was a terrible parent. And I ALWAYS told myself that I would do better-" Discord stammered as he paced the front yard.

"Discord-" Shadow Bandit started.

"I even MADE sure that I wouldn't loose my temper with her around!-"

"I think your overreacti-"

"I mean, I should have known that she was there! What's wrong with me!?"

"What was the point of calling me to talk-"

"It was just a matter of time before I royally bucked up!"

"Just called me here to talk to yourself I suppose." The mare mumbled to herself.

"Sure, part of this is your fault, but still-"

"I'm going to kill him, I swear to-"

"How could I be so care-" Discord was then cut off when Shadow tied his feet together and mismatched claws together. She then flew up so she was face-to-face with The Lord of Chaos.

"GET. A. HOLD. OF. YOUR. SELF!" Shadow yelled. During each pause, she slapped Discord across his face.

"Ow! Why?!" Discord cried while rubbing the side of his face.

"Because you're about to give yourself a heart attack over nothing!" Shadow said, glaring at her boss.

"Over nothing? OVER NOTHING?! HOW IS WHAT HAPPENED-" Discord started to say, but Shadow put her hoof over his mouth.

"Do you want me to hit you again?" Shadow asked in an angry tone. Discord shook his head in disagreement.

"Thank you!" Shadow exasperated, she then removed her hoof from his mouth. "Was she actually hurt?"

"No, but-"

"Then your just being a drama queen, like usual might I add, with this type of thing." Shadow sighed.

Normally, no pony would ever consider talking The Lord of Chaos himself in that manner. No pony would even be brave enough to come face to face with him. But Shadow was either brave or incredibly stupid, but Discord could believe either. However, even though he admired her personality and ambition, it didn't mean that it didn't get annoying sometimes.

"Well, what if I did hurt her?" He asked, worry in his red and eyes.

"Well... So what? The point is that you didn't hurt her on purpose." Shadow soothed.

"It doesn't worked like that-"

"Well, I've never had a kid, so I don't fully understand your major freak-out."

"Whatever." Discord said while plucking Shadows fake wings from her sides, causing her to fall to the ground. "Where is Screwball anyway?"

"Haven't seen her since yesterday." Shadow said while standing back up. "If I were her I would be a little freaked out that my dad was stalking me through a mirror."

"Would you let that go?" Discord asked

"I'm just stating that it's creepy, and all around bucked up, but hey, why listen to me? I'm just your friend."

"I don't have friends." Discord barked back.

"Whatever." And with that, the unicorn melted into the shadows.

_There's got to be SOMETHING I can do to make this right_. Discord thought to himself.

**Shadow Bandit**

The castle where the chaotic family was a sight to behold. It was a magnificently huge and decadent, right in the very back of the Everfree Forest. Violet discolored grass covered the back and courtyard of the manner. The sky was always either so blue it hurt your eyes or so gray it was almost black, but the nights where pretty. The stars looked like Christmas lights, along with the sky being a dark royal blue.

The great thing about the location of the castle was that it was close to towns, so whenever Shadow felt like having a change of scenery (which was a lot) she go to them with ease. One of the places she was accustomed to visit was a rural town called Ponyvill. It was one of those small towns Shadow longed to live in when she was a child. When she was there she was just watching the other ponies go about their daily lives, trying to find joy and order in the world of chaos that Shadow and Discord worked hard to keep.

While she was there, she was reading a book that she "borrowed" from the library. While she was reading she saw a commotion going on in the corner of her eye. When she went to investigate she saw three pegasi that looked about fourteen, ganging up on another little colt that looked a few years older than Screwball, backing him against a wall. He was a tall, slender, light brown unicorn with long, shaggy dark brown hair that reached his shoulders with Crystal blue eyes, and his cutie mark was a crossbow with two arrows forming and 'X' in the back of it.

The young pony didn't look scared, he looked determined, but the other colts surrounding him looked stronger, so Shadow cautiously watch the ordeal, while listening in through the shadows.

"...looky here, if it idn't Mr. Magic." One of the pegasi said, he had a dark blue coat with a red mane, wearing a orange and green striped propeller hat.

"If he was so 'magical' then you would think he wouldn't be so dirt poor then." Another Pegasus said, with a purple main and a yellow coat.

"Why don't you shut your mouth before somepony does something he's gonna regret." The unicorn said in an angry gruff, deep southern accent.

"Ooooh, looks like the punks angry, huh guys?" The third pony said. He had a white coat and a green mane.

"Too bad you don't have you big brother to hid behind, eh Arrow?" The second pony said, shoving the unicorn up against the wall, hard. The unicorn then used his magic to shove the yellow coated Pegasus back. The colt with the dark blue coat punched him, knocking him to the ground.

That was Shadows signal to intervene, she appeared behind them, clearing her throat. All four ponies looked at her, Arrow gave her a glare, but the pegasi looked absolutely terrified.

"Oh CRAP!" The yellow coated one exclaimed.

"It's Discords wife!" The one in the hat yelled in fear.

"I'm not his wife, you little twerp." Shadow retorted.

"Run!" The white coated one yelled, then the older colts flew away, but the unicorn stayed behind.

"... Discords wife... I have standards, you know! Just because we argue like an old married couple doesn't mean..." Shadow huffed to herself. Then se noticed the unicorn was still there, struggling to get to his hooves.

"How come YOU didn't run away?" Shadow said, looking at the little unicorn.

"Why should I?" He asked while rubbing his cheek, which looked swollen.

"Well... The usual stuff, "oh it's the bringer of chaos" or "oh crap it's The Lord of chaos and his assistant" and et cetera."

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but I have more to worry about than some random "oncoming storm" I should be afraid of." He countered with an angry tone. They both stayed silent for a couple of awkward moment before Shadow broke the ice.

"So how come those dicks with wings were busting your chops about being a unicorn?" Shadow asked.

"Is that some type of joke or are you just stupid?" The colt asked sourly.

"I could do without your cheeky attitude, kid."

"It's been like that for as long as I can remember." He answered. Shadow forgot about the segregation that went on. Unicorns always acted like they were better than every pony else, and Pegasi acted like they were better than earth ponies, as well as being extremely rude to unicorns. She completely forgot about that pointless discrimination whilst living with The Lord of chaos, and she never once though that she was any better than Screwball just because of the fact she didn't have a horn or wings.

"What's your name kid?" Shadow asked.

"... Arrow Bolt." He answered, starting to let his guard down to Shadows kindness.

"Well, Arrow Bolt, I'm Shadow Bandit. Nice to meet you." She said while smiling.

"Nice to meet you to I suppo-"

"Boy, where the hell have you been?!" Another gruff southern accent parked. When Arrow heard it he immediately flinched, and Shadow moved her head to see a grey unicorn with spikey dirty blonde hair, a short tail, steely blue eyes, and his cutie mark was a broken bottle.

"Street Fighter, I-" Arrow was cut short when the other unicorn, Street Fighter, pushed him against the brick wall.

"I have looked high and low for you, you stupid sonofa-"

"Lay off him, he's just a kid." Shadow butted in, pushing the taller unicorn away from what she assumed was his little brother. Street Fighter looked surprised for a moment, but that look of astonishment was replaced with a deep glare, full of hate.

"You..." He started. But after a minute or so he used his magic to lift his brother up from where he was standing to right next to him.

"Let's go." He said flatly. As they were walking away, Arrow gave Shadow a sad look, as if to say he was silently apologizing for what had happened.

"Well that went well." Shadow said to herself as soon as the two unicorns were out of sight. She then looked at her hooves and saw the hat one of those snobby Pegasi were wearing. Without much else to do, and the sun starting to set, Shadow set back for home, taking the hat along with her.

"You think Screwball would like this?" Shadow asked Discord, showing him the stolen hat as the two of them sat outside the ginormous castle.

"Where in Eqestria did you find that eyesore?" Discord asked in disdain.

"I found it." She lied, not wanting to go in depth on what had transpired that day.

"Give me that!" He said while taking the hat from her.

"What are you even going to do with it?" Shadow complained.

"throw it out." He said as he made a pocket appear on himself out of nowhere, then disappeared.

"...Can't have nice things." The unicorn mumbled to herself as she walked back into the sprawling manner.

**Screwball**

Since the incident yesterday, Screwball finally had the chaotic mojo to conjure up the storm cloud that practically saved her life at will. It took some concentration, but after an hour or so of practicing, the little filly could create the clouds with no problem whatsoever.

Screwball surveyed the clusters of pink candy on the ground and floating in the air until all of it suddenly disappeared.

"Your doing fantastic, my girl." Discord said as he materialized behind her. Screwball then turned to her father, smiling. Discord gave a sad smile in return.

"What's wrong?" Screwball asked, concern filling her voice.

"Nothing important." He said as a small blue and red wrapped box appeared in his hand.

"What's that?" The mare asked, pointing her hoof at the box.

"It's for you." He said while handing her the package. The box revealed to posses an orange hat with a green propeller. Screwball fell in love with it immediately.

"Wow... Thank you!" She exclaimed. Then hugged her dad. " I love it!"

"Really?" Discord asked, sounding surprised.

"Why wouldn't I?" She asked while putting it on. "Where did you get it?"

"I found it." He said sounding a little suspicious. "Ready to go home, Screwy?"

"Yep!"

"And tomorrow I'll start teaching you how to use your magic properly."

"Really?!" Screwball exclaimed. She had completely forgot the deal she had with her father.

"I stick to my word, child." Discord said as they started walking.

...

When they got back to the castle the sun was slightly above the horizon. Discord and Screwball found Shadow Bandit sitting on the front lawn, reading a book.

"Shadow! Look at the present daddy gave me!" Screwball said excitedly, running up to her foal-sitter. Shadow looked up, then an irritated look appeared on her face.

"What the frick Discor-" she started, but was then cut off when a zipper appeared over her mouth, stopping whatever she was about to say.

"What?" The filly asked.

"Nothing." Shadow said as she unzipped her mouth, continuing glaring at Discord, "I love it kid."

Screwball then happily went up to her room, then passing out in exhaustion.

* * *

**_I feel like I apologize for bringing late update a lot in my stories. Sorry that this is late, I'm terrible at remembering to update, and usually I have bad cases of writer's block that fade in and out. But enough of my excuses._**

**_if you recognized the new OCs I created (sort of), good for you. And if you recognize and of the references in this chapter, another good for you. I have a feeling some of you might have a problem with Street Fighter and his cutie mark. I found a picture of Street Fighter but for some reason I couldn't find anything on the internet on terms of a name, or a CM. So if you can find a better name or CM for him, gladly tell me. But Arrow Bolt and his CM are staying, end of discussion._**

**_but don't think that's the last you'll see of the two brothers. Also in terms of the pony racism, I know that they covered something like that in the show, but I just like my spin on it. every dated story needs some racism, and i couldn't nessicerily go by COLOR, so yeah._**

**_favorites, reviews, follows, and constructive criticism are welcome with open hooves, and I promise that there is more to come._**


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